Oconee County, SC Animal Ordinances: Breed Restrictions (2026)

Chapter 4's definitions in Section 4-2 list five behavior-based grounds for calling an animal 'dangerous': a known propensity to attack unprovoked, an actual unprovoked attack causing bodily injury away from lawful confinement, unprovoked acts that would make a reasonable person believe an attack is coming, being kept or trained for fighting, or attacking or injuring a person or domestic animal without adequate provocation because of temperament or training. Immediately after that list, the code states plainly that 'an animal is not a dangerous animal solely by virtue of its breed or species,' foreclosing any ordinance-based breed ban or breed presumption in unincorporated Oconee County.

A dangerous-animal finding instead requires an individualized process under Section 4-7: an animal control officer or agent must have probable cause tied to specific state-code violations (unconfined on premises, harbored for fighting, or unregistered), the animal may be impounded pending trial, and a magistrate conducts a determination hearing with at least ten days' notice, written findings within ten business days, and a right of appeal to the court of common pleas within ten days. 00 surety bond, and equip it with a metal license tag.

Off-premises, the animal must be muzzled and restrained on a leash or chain rated at least 300 pounds and no more than three feet long. 'Potentially dangerous animal' status under Section 4-8 follows the same individualized hearing and confinement structure, again without any breed criterion.